23 February 2009

Sai Baba's Paduka Darshan Details in Panaji, Goa

Detailed mail about Sai Baba Paduka Darshan was circulated in yahoo groups by Sai Devotee Rohit and I have posted it here for the benefit of one and all.

Chief Minister to receive Sai Baba Padukas

PANJIM, FEB 20

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat will receive the Padukas (sacred footwear) of Sai Baba at Patradevi on February 21, which will be displayed at Gymkhana Grounds, Campal, on February 22 for devotees to pay their respects.

The Sai Baba Saunsthan Trust, Shirdi, has planned to organise a Sai Baba Sammelan in Panjim with a view to commemorate the centenary of the weekly tradition of Sai Baba’s Palakhi (ceremonial palanquin procession) from Dwarkamai temple to the Chavadi (city gate) in Shirdi every Thursday.

The organisers are expecting around one lakh devotees to pay their respects and also made arrangements for a queue of 10,000 persons at a time in the pandal at the Panjim Gymkhana.

The chairman of the Sai Baba Paduka Darshan Sohala Samiti, Anil Counto, addressing a press conference here said that special arrangements have been made to display the Padukas in a pandal at Campal.

“The padukas would be received by the chief minister at Patradevi and thereafter would be received by the respective MLAs as the procession passes through the constituencies on the national highway,” Counto said adding “finally the padukas would be given a welcome in Panjim by Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar and Mayor Tony Rodrigues.”

“We expect nearly 1 lakh people from Goa as well as neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra to visit the “Paduka Darshan Sohala”, he added.

“Preparations are going on in full swing,” he said adding “the work of erecting the pandals, stages and barricading is complete and arrangements are being made to facilitate the visit of over one lakh devotees.”

Speaking further, Mr Counto said that the traditional Sai aartis including Kakad aarti, Sanj aarti and Shej aarti would be performed on February 22, besides making available Mahaprasad (holy meal) and laddoos from Shirdi to the visiting devotees adding, seating arrangements for senior citizens, volunteers to accompany the visiting physically challenged persons, drinking water facility, security, etc would be provided by the committee.

The Sai Bhajans would also be sung by well-known groups at the venue, he informed, appealing to the local bhajan troupes to join the celebrations and contact the committee, if interested in presenting Sai Bhajans.

Mr Counto said that the teachings of Shri Sai Baba are very much relevant in today?s times and go well with the secular nature of Goa. Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace and finally, devotion to God and Guru.

The sage has a large following of devotees from every religion. Mr Counto also appealed to the people to make contributions, even if they are token contributions, for the occasion and contact the committee for the same.

PANAJI: Over a hundred private security guards and hundreds of policemen will provide security to ensure peace and order during the one-and-a-half- day Shirdi Sai Baba paduka darshan at Campal, Panaji.

Chairman of the Goa Pradesh Shree Sai Baba Paduka Darshan Sohala Samiti, Anil Counto, said that they are expecting over a lakh devotees to gather at the Bandodkar ground on Sunday, February 22, from all over Goa to catch a glimpse and pay their respects to the Sai Baba Paduka, which will arrive all the way from Shirdi.

Suresh Waable of the Saunsthan informed that the paduka will arrive in Goa on February 21at 4 pm, and will be welcomed by chief minister Digambar Kamat at Patradevi along with other cabinet ministers and MLAs.

On Sunday, the Paduka Darshan of Shirdi Sai Baba and Bhakti Sammelan will be organised at the grounds at Campal. Governor of Goa S S Sidhu and chief minister Digambar Kamat will be present for the ceremony.

Ashok Khambekar of the Shirdi Sai Saunstha said, "The paduka abhishek will take place on Sunday at 6 am. Thereafter, devotees will be allowed darshan up to 12 noon.. At 6 pm Saanj aarti will be performed and Sez aarti at 10.30 pm."

Dr Ekanth Gadekar said, "At 4.30 pm on February 22 devotees will be offered Mahaprasad. We have made arrangements for 10,000 to stand in a queue at one time for the paduka darshan and 25,000 will be accommodated in the pandal at a time during the darshan."

The event is being organised by the Shirdi Sai Saunstha and Goa Pradesh Shree Sai Baba Paduka Darshan Sohala Samiti to celebrate 100 years of the first Sai Baba palki or palanquin that travelled from Dwarka Mai to Chawdi in Shirdi in 1909.

Over one lakh devotees thronged the Panjim Gymkhana Grounds, Campal today to pay their respects to the Padukas (sacred footwear) of Sai Baba.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who received the Padukas at Patradevi, was the first to offer pooja at 5.45 am.

“Over 1 lakh people from Goa and neighbouring States of Karnataka and Maharashtra including politicians, industrialists and aam aadmi visited the “paduka darshan sohala”, said an organiser.

The day started with the traditional Sai aartis that included kakad aarti, sanj aarti and shej aarti, besides making available mahaprasad (holy meal) and laddoos from Shirdi to the visiting devotees.

Sai bhajans were also sung by well-known groups at the venue.

The teachings of Sai Baba are very much relevant even today and go well with the secular nature of Goa. Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace and finally, devotion to God and Guru.

The sage has a large following of devotees from every religion.

Seating arrangements for senior citizens, volunteers to accompany the visiting physically challenged persons, drinking water facility, security, etc were managed well by the organisers.

The Sai Baba Saunsthan Trust, Shirdi, has organised this sammelan in Panjim with a view to commemorate the centenary of the weekly tradition of Sai Baba’s Palakhi (ceremonial palanquin procession) from Dwarkamai temple to the Chavadi (city gate) in Shirdi every Thursday.

Thousands began thronging to the pandal at Bandodkar stadium at Campal from 5.45 am on Sunday when the silver paduka of Shirdi Sai Baba arrived at the venue.

Digambar Kamat and his wife Asha Kamat, performed abhishek and pooja and offered their prayers, thereafter opening the paduka that had travelled all the way from Shirdi.

A large idol of Sai Baba towered over the stadium as faithfuls kept queuing up all day long at the Bandodkar stadium. The pandal set up to contain 25,000 devotees at a time did not seem big enough to accomodate the large number of people.

As twilight spread across the city, the area outside the stadium was converted into a pilgrimage with footpaths taken over by vendors with flowers and agarbatti for sale.

Among those present at the pooja in the morning were health minister Vishwajit Rane and businessmen Shrinivas Dempo, Dattaraj Salgaonkar and Anil Counto.

NRI commissioner, Eduardo Faliero, former MLA Pandurang Madkaikar and Pale MLA Pratap Gawas were among those that came to pay their respects at the silver paduka. Police personnel were seen lining the stadium boundaries through the day and vehicular traffic were finding it harder by evening to pass through the area outside the Bandodkar stadium.

At the Sai Melava 2009, held at 7 pm Anil Counto asked the chief minister to set up a yatri niwas at Shirdi for the benefit of devotees. And Kamat extended his support to the proposition.

"I will back the proposal if the Shirdi Sai Saunsthan helps us in the acquisition of the land. I will also see that the devotees are provided all the facilities at Shirdi. Bringing the paduka to Goa has given the aam aadmi here a rare opportunity. And I appreciate the organizers without whose support this was not possible."

Jayant Rao Sansane of the Shirdi Saunsthan said that an online service will be provided all the information on accomodation at Shirdi. He also promised to acquire land at Shirdi for the yatri niwas for Goans.

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